‘Hey, Where Can I Get Me One Of Them There Algae Cars?’

Speaking at the University of Miami, President Obama took the occasion to point out that they in Miami were sitting on a goldmine. You know, because they have so much algae around. Admitting that there is no “silver bullet” (I think he meant magic bullet) solution for high gas prices, he touted the “investments” being made in the development of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel out of a plant like substance known as algae.

Yes, in the face of $5 dollar a gallon gasoline and with no change in sight to the left’s war on oil, President never held a real job in the real world, decided that he’d throw algae cars into the mix.

“We’re making new investments in the development of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel that’s actually made from a plant-like substance, algae — you’ve got a bunch of algae out here,” Obama said at the University of Miami today. “If we can figure out how to make energy out of that, we’ll be doing alright. Believe it or not, we could replace up to 17 percent of the oil we import for transportation with this fuel that we can grow right here in America.”

If we could figure out how to make energy out of sand, we’ll be doing alright. If we could figure out how to make energy out of poop, we’d be doing alright. If we could figure out how to make energy out of lard, we’ll be doing alright. If we could figure out how to make energy out of lipstick, we’ll be doing alright. If we could figure out how to make energy out of Preparation H, we’ll be doing alright. If we could figure out how to make energy out of afterbirth, we’ll be doing alright. I think you get the picture.

President Obama is a man who feeds others a line of bull that he hopes they’ll accept as some sort of plan, instead of actually dealing in the world of reality. He wishes and hopes that somehow, magically, algae will be used to take the place of oil which is a proven source of energy. Pipe dreams versus reality. For us, something tangible like an actual pipeline that would alleviate our pain at the pump, has been relegated to a pipe dream because of the dreamer we have in the White House.

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I'm not an author, lawyer, or professor. These seem to be the most common careers of bloggers these days. I'm just an average, commonsense, conservative who lives in a red state that flipped blue. America is lacking in the commonsense department. We've got plenty of lawyers and professors.

SoBeRight

Fuel from algae is real.

Get informed. Your Fox News heritage is showing again…

Algae fuel might be an alternative to fossil fuel and uses algae as its source of natural deposits. Several companies and government agencies are funding efforts to reduce capital and operating costs and make algae fuel production commercially viable.[1] Harvested algae, like fossil fuel, release CO2 when burnt but unlike fossil fuel the CO2 is taken out of the atmosphere by the growing algae.

Fuel from algae is not yet ready for prime time, but there are now numerous start-up companies exploring rival ways of growing and processing it, and oil majors like Shell and Chevron are already jumping in as well. The main question is cost, but so long as petroleum stays above $100 a barrel it’s likely that some of these methods will prove competitive.

Yeah, those crazy people over at Shell and Chevron are at it again…

The United States Department of Energy estimates that if algae fuel replaced all the petroleum fuel in the United States, it would require 15,000 square miles (39,000 km2) which is only 0.42% of the U.S. map[9], or about half of the land area of Maine.

And when it mentions the US Department of Energy? That mention is from 2008 – the Bush administration.

You wrote “If we could figure out how to make energy out of sand, we’ll be doing alright. If we could figure out how to make energy out of poop, we’d be doing alright. If we could figure out how to make energy out of lard, we’ll be doing alright. If we could figure out how to make energy out of lipstick, we’ll be doing alright. If we could figure out how to make energy out of Preparation H, we’ll be doing alright. If we could figure out how to make energy out of afterbirth, we’ll be doing alright. I think you get the picture.”

Yes, we get the picture. You’re uninformed and acting childishly.

“President Obama is a man who feeds others a line of bull that he hopes they’ll accept as some sort of plan, instead of actually dealing in the world of reality. He wishes and hopes that somehow, magically, algae will be used to take the place of oil which is a proven source of energy. Pipe dreams versus reality. For us, something tangible like an actual pipeline that would alleviate our pain at the pump, has been relegated to a pipe dream because of the dreamer we have in the White House.”

This doesn’t have anything to do with Obama. It’s not his idea.

jim_m

Yes, it’s real, but is it viable?

Can it scale to the millions of barrels a day we need?
What is the cost going to be?
Will it be cost effective?
With the eviro left oppose it because of the footprint of the facilities, or the methods used for refining, or some other BS reason? (yes)

The fact is that just because it can be done does not mean that it is anywhere close to market. Are we going to invest billions in another Solyndra? Probably if obama is in charge.

Once again you show that you are hopelessly naive in your understanding of how long it takes to get a product to market.

SoBeRight

“Yes, it’s real, but is it viable?”

That remains to be seen. That’s why they call it “research”.

jim_m

I’d argue that the land use question makes it extremely unviable. In fact far less viable than drilling for oil. 0bama’s green solution is worse than the disease.

SoBeRight

This isn’t Obama’s solution. Actually, research was started during Bush’s term.

Even after you know facts, like who is behind this research you continue to childishly cling to false ideas. How very sad for you.

jim_m

It’s not about who is behind the research it is about what they said it would require. Even the fraction 0bama proposes would cause so much environmental damage that the greens will never accept it. It would be tied up for decades in legal battles.

It is another example of unrealistic magical thinking by the left. You might as well say that we will run our cars on unicorn farts. There really isn’t much difference. (actually, there is marginally more likelihood that we will run our cars off of unicorn farts than on gas from oil producing algae)

SoBeRight

Yeah, those crazy folks at Chevron, Shell, the US Navy, Qauntas Airlines, Virgin Atlantic — those producers and consumers of mass quantities of fuel just don’t have the insight and foresight that Jim M has.

I’m surprised they haven’t hired him to lead their efforts.

jim_m

Having worked in companies that do research and development I can assure you that a lot of things are looked at and a lot of things are thrown on the discard pile as not worthwhile. Just because someone has researched into a technology doesn’t mean that the technology has promise or is viable in any way.

SoBeRight

Not just “someone” is looking into this, Jim, remember? You replied to the comment which mentioned that Chevron and Shell Oil, and lots of big energy consumers are looking into the feasability.

“Just because someone has researched into a technology doesn’t mean that
the technology has promise or is viable in any way. “

that’s why they call this “research” jim. It’s certainly not proven to be viable, but worthy of research.

donwalk

At least President Bush had the experience and the fore sight to realize that it wasn’t viable and therefore shouldn’t insult the citizens with it.
B.O. is acting out of desparation on this one.

donwalk

You haven’t posted the improvements or advances made during the past 3-4 years?
If you are going to refer to something from 2008, at least have the where with all to provide the updates.
If is viable, there would be some updates, now wouldn’t there?

jim_m

Publicly held companies developing technologies that may have a significant impact on the bottom line are required by law to disclose any significant development. Anything that is under active development and is supposed to have a big impact will be updated every year at an investor conference.

SoBeRight

Only if it will adversely effect earnings.

No, Jim, companies are not required to disclose developments that will lead to significant profits. That’s a false statement, jim.

donwalk

So were are the results for the past four years, or aren’t there any?

Subject: [wizbang] Re: ‘Hey, Where Can I Get Me One Of Them There Algae Cars?’

Funny you should mention that. I remember reading about a demonstration flight that was fueled 100% by algae fuel.

Sometime shortly after 7 a.m. PST on Monday, execs at algae oilcompany Solazyme, members of the media and others will board a plane at Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport and take off on the first commercial U.S. domestic flight to use Solazyme’s algae-based jet fuel.

United Airlines will operate the flight, which will land at Chicago
O’Hare International Airport a couple of hours later and is set to carry 189 passengers.

The event is significant: While companies have spent years looking to
scale next-generation biofuel products, few are producing fuels that
can scale large enough to sell to the airline industry, let alone the
auto industry. Solazyme’s jet fuel, dubbed Solajet, isn’t a widely
commercialized product yet, but it has a few deals, including with the
Navy and Australian carrier Quantas.

Solazyme produced 80,000 liters of both jet fuel and algae diesel for
the Navy in 2010. Quantas plans to eventually purchase 200 to 400
million liters of jet fuel per year from Solazyme. Before focusing on
jet fuel and biofuel for transportation, Solazyme created personal care
products, replacements for industrial chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

The airplane that is using Solazyme’s algae fuel on Monday is a
United Boeing 737-800, and the fuel is a blend of petroleum (60 percent)
and algae (40 percent). Previously biofuels have been used for other
flights but mostly in small blends.

Yeah, those crazy people at the U.S. Navy, United Airlines, Quantas Airlines… they don’t know what the conservatives on this site know…

And Virgin Atlantic and Air New Zealand…

Back in 2008 Virgin Atlantic flew
what it called the first flight of a commercial aircraft with jet
biofuel powering 5 percent of the total fuel mix (three of the plane’s
four tanks were filled with standard jet fuel, while the last one
contained 20 percent coconut oil and babassu nuts). Air New Zealand also flew a flight in 2008 using jatropha biofuel.

They’re all “freaking idiots” according to Neaderthal Jim M.

Vagabond661

Still not commercially viable. Might as well be talking about running cars on water or poop.

cjcold

Been doing that for years. CAFO produced methane runs just fine in my 2 ton graintruck. And as for water, juice it with some electricity and you get hydrogen. So yes both water and poop can power a car.

Vagabond661

If we can run a car on water, why is my toilet tank just 1.2 gallons?

jim_m

Solazyme produced 80,000 liters of both jet fuel and algae diesel for the Navy in 2010.

The US military uses ~75 million barrels of fuel per year. That’s nearly 12 BILLION liters. Solazyme produced 0.000667% of the military’s need.

Not impressive.

SoBeRight

Research and testing, Jim. Don’t act childishly, nobody has claimed this is a ready-to-go technology.

Seriously? 15,000 square miles? that’s 9.6 million acres! ANWR is only 9.5 million acres (the designated wildlife refuge part) and we can’t even drill on 1% of that!

You are a freaking idiot!

SoBeRight

Yawn. Your immaturity is showing. Chevron and Shell think this is an idea worth researching.

So does Obama.

So do I.

And so did the US Department of Energy under the Bush administration.

“You are a freaking idiot! “

And you’re starting to crack. Buck up, Jim. Think of this ongoing embarrassment as therapeutic. Sooner or later you will see inside yourself and realize that you’re acting childishly and behaving like a 6 year old. Maybe then you’ll become an adult, and quit acting so childishly. Maybe not…

“You are a freaking idiot! “

Then so are the executives at Chevron and Shell… an in the Bush administration’s DoE.

jim_m

You’re the one jumping on he bandwagon defending your lord and savior. I question how much land it would take and you amend your comment to show that it would take 9.6 million acres. You are going to now claim that the greens will accept trashing that mush land for anything?

From what I saw it only costs like $30 a gallon to make. Hey that is about high enough for Obama so that people will stop driving SUVs.

jim_m

I have to admit he sounds more like Stephen every day.

Jwb10001

Editing posts was Stevie speciality too.

Vagabond661

From Fishy article: However, these claims remain unrealized, commercially. According to the head of the Algal Biomass Organization algae fuel can reach price parity with oil in 2018 if granted production tax credits.

Oil makes a profit and can be taxed. Algae needs to be subsidized and cost taxpayers to use, kinda like ethanol. Hmmmm which one should I choose?

SoBeRight

Choose the path that leads us away from dependency on foreign oil, which most thinking people know is a bad path to be on.

you got it, drill baby drill … 150+ years worth of oil is currently locked up on federal land and offshore areas …
Now you’re making sense …

you do know that solar and wind would only power a tiny fraction of cars or trucks on the road today … even in 30 years it would still be tiny …

the only way to reduce our use of foreign oil is to produce more of our own …

btw … How many algae research studies could have been funded by the 500 million we just lost in Solyndra ?

cjcold

We actually export gas and oil along with importing it (crazy). It’s called the world market. “Dependency on foreign oil” is a boogeyman thought up by the Koch brothers simply so they can make more money and sock it into off-shore accounts and denier’s pockets. Drill baby drill does us no good but does the environment great harm.

Walter_Cronanty

Wow, you really know your boogeymen.

Jwb10001

Wow those Koch boys is there anything they can’t do?

donwalk

Hey, but don’t give up! Next week B.O. will be touting the new “electric eel” car – runs for 2 miles and then its fins extend and you can fly for over three hundred miles. Just avoid the windmills that are recharging the eel!

SoBeRight

Yeah, doh! RIGHT!

donwalk

Most educated and knowledgable response from you yet. Thanks!

Subject: [wizbang] Re: ‘Hey, Where Can I Get Me One Of Them There Algae Cars?’

SoBeRight

What can I say? Your original comment was so refreshing and inspirational — a real attention getter.

Hey, but don’t give up! Next week B.O. will be touting the new “electric eel” car – runs for 2 miles and then its fins extend and you can fly for over three hundred miles. Just avoid the windmills that are recharging the eel!

Do you and Jim M share the same “Speak and Spell” or do you each have your own childish toys?

donwalk

Just can’t stand it when your messiah looks like a fool touting the new algae car, can you? Will it do as good as the Volt, or will it move as fast as the windmills – enlighten us please?

Subject: [wizbang] Re: ‘Hey, Where Can I Get Me One Of Them There Algae Cars?’

cjcold

There will be no new “algae car” it burns just fine in regular gasoline and diesel engines.

donwalk

Good, I’ll run right down to the nearest Chevron and Fill r up.

Subject: [wizbang] Re: ‘Hey, Where Can I Get Me One Of Them There Algae Cars?’

Jwb10001

Better be ready to pay $30 per gallon.

donwalk

But B.O. proclaimed it was an alternative to the high Gas prices that he has nothing to do with?

Subject: [wizbang] Re: ‘Hey, Where Can I Get Me One Of Them There Algae Cars?’

Obama’s in the pocket of anything green. All the libs now it’s a boondoggle that’s created millionaire after millionaire without one shred of good for the country or the planet. Truth be told, he’d much rather be in Al Gore’s shoes than where he’s at today.

Other people have commented on this, but allow me to add a couple of things:

The Obama administration’s deal to buy 450,000 gallons of biofuel for Navy jets comes at a cost of up to nine times higher than regular fuel, a spokesman for Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) said, coming at a time when the U.S. military is already facing deep budget cuts.

…

Solazyme previously received $21.7 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the stimulus, to build a “biorefinery.” T.J. Glauthier is listed on the Solazyme website as a strategic advisor for the company. Glauthier served on President Obama’s White House transition team, where he focused on energy issues for the recovery act, according to the Solazyme website. [emphasis mine – hd505]

Crony capitalism. Billions of dollars thrown away on “green energy” that just so happens to financially benefit Barry’s chums.

As for the algae-powered car, I am simply flabbergasted that Barry hasn’t been laughed out of the country for things like this. The US economy is on life support, Americans are looking at the real prospect of $5+ / gallon gas, and this stupid a** is yapping about – SOMEDAY – fueling our cars with pond scum???

cjcold

Speaking of water, just add a little electricity and you have hydrogen gas. I guess you can run cars on water and poop.

iwogisdead

This is great. Gasoline marching on up to and past $6/gallon, and Obumble’s solution–algae. It’s OK to cancel offshore drilling and block the pipeline because we have algae. And ZGoFish comes on here to defend Obumble. It just gets funnier and funnier.
Fact is, Obumble is a dolt and the people around him are amateurs. Wouldn’t you like to have been in on the strategy meeting?
“Gee, rising gasoline prices might be a problem because we cancelled offshore drilling and blocked that pipeline thingy. Plus all these green companies we’ve given money too went tits up. This looks bad. What should we do?”
“I know–talk about algae!!!”

herddog505

Oh, but Barry didn’t block the pipeline: the GOP did it. Just ask Jay Carney.

Give Obama credit. He is admitting he doesn’t have a clue on how to address higher oil/gas prices, unlike candidate Obama who was quite sure that Bush was to blame.

But geez, his advisors and teleprompter should have told him to skip the algae part.
On the one hand, he said that “the American people aren’t stupid”. Then he went on to suggest using algae saying “”If we can figure out how to make energy out of that, we’ll be doing alright.”??????

“He lives in a fantasyland of algae and miracles. He is functionally a
child. Things will happen because he wants them to happen. He wants
the cookie, ergo the cookie jar will spontaneously generate a cookie.”